DEVELOPMENT (Design Factor 20/24)

Development includes all the activities that are necessary for production and is closely connected with the design factors 19 PROJECT MANAGEMENT and 22 PRODUCTION.

Do we know the development goals we want to achieve? The key objectives should be clearly established and never changed during the project. Allow changes and outside influences and run the risk of the project derailing from its original design.

Even more interesting and extremely useful for the project is to think about resistors and possible risks. In the early stage projects are characterized by an exuberant optimism. It is beneficial, if someone plays the role of "Devil’s Advocate". What could go wrong? What went wrong in similar projects before? Where could possible headwinds or resistors in the form of stakeholders arise? All questions that not only enhance awareness of possible issues, but which accelerate concrete solutions.

The costs of development are often not determined accurately enough by the developers. It can be very difficult to define an exact number in the early stage, but a reasonable estimate is always possible. Combine this cost estimation with the project planning and a constant revaluation of the project cost can lead to a greater cost transparency.

Development projects will always cost a huge amount of time and resource, however the simple rule still applies: the earlier mistakes are identified and dealt with the less the resource and time is spent. At a late stage of a project even a small change can cost tenfold what it would have early on.